Developing a strong eco-system which drives innovation
through online learning sessions
Innovation is essential for a long-term competitive advantage. Therefore public programmes, the
goal of which is to raise the competitiveness of local firms, also aim at creating an innovationtriggering effect. Those public innovation programmes require careful planning and the
development of a wide yet coherent eco-system with very divers players included. Only then, the
companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can be mobilized to actively
participate in and benefit from the innovation sessions specially from online learning innovation
programs.
For this reason, the European Commission, launched the “Euromed – Innovative Entrepreneurs
for Change” project in the South Mediterranean countries including Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco,
and Tunisia building on the results that the IMP³rove initiative has generated in Europe. The
focus is to strengthen the innovation management support services to potential high growth
enterprises in the four countries. That approach is expected to have a long term impact on
accelerating competitiveness, jobs creation, growth prospects, and wider wealth participation in
the region.
IMP³rove – Euromed project
In August 2012, the European Commission, with support of local partners, launched the project
“Euromed – Innovative Entrepreneurs for Change”. IMP³rove plays an integral part. The focus of
the IMP³rove Academy is to transfer knowledge in innovation management to local support
providers – building on a proven approach - and to ensure the practical application of this newly
acquired knowledge at local SMEs. By using a single, holistic approach, the interactions between
the various support providers and the SMEs were facilitated. Thus a common national approach
is developed.

IMP³rove-powered Innovation Eco-System for growth
In order to develop this common approach different actors are needed:
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SMEs
Management consultants
Intermediaries
Academia
Financial actors

Policy makers

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Each actor plays an important and complimentary role in delivering to the common objective of
growth by innovation. Here, the IMP³rove Academy develops a roadmap and acts as an interface,
actively bringing the stakeholders together.

Step one: find your partners
Powerful partners for the development of an innovation eco-system need to be identified and
convinced. There are several factors to be taken into account for the decision of choosing strategic
partners:
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A common strategic goal to foster innovation
A wide and well developed network to effectively reach the relevant beneficiaries
Resources and the willingness to dedicate them to the innovation initiatives
Reputation, which allows for the important interplay between the members to be
successful, as well as for developing visibility and trust in the programme to attract the
relevant actors to participate.

Finally, the variety of the members of the innovation eco-system should be such, that they are
complementary to each in order to cover all the important aspects of innovation. This should

include technical assistance in innovation management based on experience, effective support
services to SMEs that have proven to create value, innovation related public policy, innovation
management education, as well as funding for and investment in innovative enterprises.
Depending on the specific situation, the strategic partners acting as the focal centres of the
innovation program are public institutions or private organizations. In each case, the IMP³rove
Academy acts as the linking and facilitating body to support the development of the respective
innovation eco-systems and to provide the knowledge and expertise.
Step two: mobilize for innovation
The next step in the process is creating awareness in the communities for the importance of
innovation management. In order to be able to spread the message as far and wide as possible,
utilising the networks is important. With that support and with the lead of the IMP³rove Academy
a series of awareness creation workshops and seminars as well as individual discussions with the
stakeholders are organized. Additionally the events convey the tools improving the innovation
management knowledge and capability to the SMEs, management consultants, policy makers, and
financial institutions. Practical application of the tools increases the confidence of the various
actors in the innovation eco-system. Those tools benchmark the innovation management
performance and then induce the process of improving company-individual innovation
management capabilities, increase the effectiveness of innovation management support services as
well as of the public programs.
Step three: create a common language
The third step in setting up a strong innovation eco-system is developing policies and measures
to continuously improve the innovation management capabilities. Technical assistance for policy
makers, training courses for management consultants, and the concrete support of SMEs in
benchmarking and further developing their innovation management capabilities help to achieve
the required level of expertise. In the IMP³rove – Euromed project, groups of consultants and
intermediaries were trained in each country in the IMP³rove Approach. The local national partners
were responsible for recruiting and selecting the candidates who would eventually participate in
the training courses.
In the selection process, the consultants’ previous experience and current client base as well as
the strong fit of the innovation management as a service provision in their consulting business

were taken into account. The support of the local national partners in selecting the candidates for
the training was not only a convenience choice but also a strategic move to tighten the links
between the different actors, in this case the consultants, intermediaries, and public institutions. It
was essential to operationalize the national innovation strategy. In various courses, the
participants gained knowledge in innovation management and innovation management
consulting for business development as a basis for supporting the SMEs. The group of trainees
used the same holistic approach to innovation management, and developed a national network of
support providers complementing each other with their different backgrounds and technical
expertise
Step four: improve and develop
Approaching the SMEs and supporting them in identifying their potential for innovation was the
next step. As the consultants were appropriately equipped they were able to start guiding the
SMEs in identifying and leveraging their strengths to enhance their business performance. Within
few months after the IMP³rove training courses in Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia, the
impact of the joint efforts of the local partner institutions, and the consultants participating in the
training, already resulted in more than 100 completed IMP³rove Assessments.
The major intention of the assessments is to provide SMEs with transparency regarding their
current innovation management capabilities, and to support the companies in further developing
them. This reveals the initial effects of the links developed in the process of strengthening the
innovation eco-system in the four countries. The systematic IMP³rove Consultants’ development
path increases the independent economic progress of the region. Skilled guides and a strong
network enable improved innovation performance of local companies and on the long-run
increase the overall social benefit from a strong economy.
“A clear vision has to guide each step”
Sustainability of the Innovation Eco-System beyond a project
Building an eco-system that drives innovation is a complex task. To meet the challenge a
strategy in combination with sustainable activities is key. A clear vision has to guide each step
from planning to implementation and also beyond. The innovation eco-system will develop into a
sustainable community as long as this community is animated by continuous development of its
members, and by their openness to continuously further develop the innovation eco-system. This

may include an annual award, it may include the opening across national borders, or industry
sectors. It may also grow by adoption of new technologies.
The IMP続rove-Euromed Project is a case example for a four-step-approach to build a regional
innovation eco-system. First strategic partners have to be identified; next the communities have to
become aware of the importance of innovation management. Then all involved parties that would
consult or support the SMEs have to be brought to one common level of expertise and knowledge
about creating value by innovation management support. Furthermore they have to become
skilled with the set of tools that will improve the current innovation management performance in
a company on a continuous basis. Finally the companies will be able to develop strong
competitive advantages within the innovation eco-system. The impact is then measured by growth
in profit, revenue and number of employees which is the result of an effective human resource
management through innovation.